Claxton, Cornley earn team co-MVP awards
The Penn State basketball team named junior Geary Claxton and sophomore Jamelle Cornley co-Most Valuable Players. The team also honored seniors Ben Luber and David Jackson at the Nittany Lions' 28th annual banquet Friday evening at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley, Nittany Lion Head Coach Ed DeChellis and special guest speaker John Amaechi, a five-year NBA veteran and 1995 All-Big Ten selection at Penn State, were among those who spoke to a gathering of nearly 300.
Claxton and Cornley are the first players presented the John Lawther Most Valuable Player Award since the 2004 season. The pair combined to produce 47 percent of Penn State's scoring and rebounding in Big Ten games last season and one of the two led the team in scoring in all but five games and in rebounding in all but two for the season.
Claxton earned All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive season, earning second team honors from the media and third from the coaches. He led Penn State, averaging 16.3 ppg and 8.0 rpg, and finished the season as one of two players to rank in the top five in scoring and rebounding in the Big Ten, ranking fifth and second, respectively. He posted eight double-doubles and seven 20-point games on the year.
Cornley, the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media and ranked second on the team averaging 13.5 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Cornley led the Big Ten averaging 36.07 minutes per game playing in all 30 games this season.
Record crowd attends annual spring game
A record crowd of 71,000 fans turned out on a beautiful 70-degree day for Penn State's annual Blue-White Game in Beaver Stadium. The White captured a 30-6 victory, led by 126 yards passing and two touchdowns from junior quarterback Paul Cianciolo and 116 yards receiving and two touchdowns from sophomore wide receiver Chris Bell.
Many in the huge crowd, which surpassed the previous Blue-White Game record of 62,000 fans that attended the 1996 spring contest, wore orange and maroon in tribute to the victims of this week's tragedy at Virginia Tech. A student section 800-strong formed a large block "VT" with colored shirts in the stands and the Blue Band played "Amazing Grace" following a moment of silence. Junior tackle Gerald Cadogan represented the Penn State players and coaches in addressing the crowd with a message of support for Virginia Tech prior to kickoff.
Thousands of other fans wore maroon or orange shirts as a tribute to the Virginia Tech victims.
Six athletes, Pavlik earn EIVA accolades
Six Penn State men's volleyball student-athletes have earned post-season honors from the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) and head coach Mark Pavlik has been named the EIVA Coach of the Year, conference officials announced.
Sophomore opposite Matt Anderson, senior outside hitter Alex Gutor, sophomore middle hitter Max Holt, freshman middle hitter Max Lipsitz and junior setter Luke Murray were all tabbed First Team All-East. In addition, redshirt sophomore setter Travis Foltz earned Academic All-East honors.
The accolades push Penn State's number of all-time All-East selections to 152 since 1972 as Pavlik earns his sixth EIVA Coach of the Year honor.
Gymnastic coaches earn NACGC honors
Penn State men's gymnastics coaches Randy Jepson, Slava Boiko, and Kevin Tan have been honored by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC) with awards for leading the Nittany Lions to the 2007 national championship. Jepson was named the NACGC National Coach of the Year while Boiko and Tan were each recognized as the NACGC Assistant Coach of the Year.
